• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.11 no.5
• /
• pp.483-488
• /
• 2001

The antimicrobial substance produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa KLP-2 strain was purified and identified. The substance was identified as a pyocyanine by the fast atom bombardment mass(FAB-MS). In physic-chemical properties, the pyocyanine was dark blue needles, and was soluble in various organic solvents such as chlorogorm, methanol, ethanol and ethyl acetae. The pyocyanine possessed a ultraviolet absorbance spectrum in methanol, 0.1 M HCl, and chlorogorm. The maximum absorption peak of the pyocyanine showed at 318 mm in methanol. The molecular formula of the pyocyanine was determined to the $C_{13}$ H$_{10}$ N$_{2}$O and protonate molecular ion species (M+H)$^{+}$ was observed at m/z 211 by FAB-MS. The pyocyanine showed antimicrobial against Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, Micrococcus luteus, Rodococcus equi, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus faecalis, E. col, Legionella pneumophila, Shigella flexneri Shigella boydii, shgella sonnei, NAG Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibro vulnificus, Yersinia enterocolitica, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. However, Salmonella spp. Shigela dysenteriae, 3 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiela pneumoniae, and Aspergillus niger were resistant to the pyocyanine. The pyocyanine showed the highest antimicrobial activity aganist Legionella pneumophila based on the size of inhibition zone by the disk contained 0.5 $\mu\textrm{g}$ of the pyocyanine.e.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.61 no.4
• /
• pp.397-404
• /
• 2023

Acanthamoeba species are free-living amoebae those are widely distributed in the environment. They feed on various microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and algae. Although majority of the microbes phagocytosed by Acanthamoeba spp. are digested, some pathogenic bacteria thrive within them. Here, we identified the roles of 3 phagocytosis-associated genes (ACA1_077100, ACA1_175060, and AFD36229.1) in A. castellanii. These 3 genes were upregulated after the ingestion of Escherichia coli. However, after the ingestion of Legionella pneumophila, the expression of these 3 genes was not altered after the consumption of L. pneumophila. Furthermore, A. castellanii transfected with small interfering RNS (siRNA) targeting the 3 phagocytosis-associated genes failed to digest phagocytized E. coli. Silencing of ACA1_077100 disabled phagosome formation in the E. coli-ingesting A. castellanii. Alternatively, silencing of ACA1_175060 enabled phagosome formation; however, phagolysosome formation was inhibited. Moreover, suppression of AFD36229.1 expression prevented E. coli digestion and consequently led to the rupturing of A. castellanii. Our results demonstrated that the ACA1_077100, ACA1_175060, and AFD36229.1 genes of Acanthamoeba played crucial roles not only in the formation of phagosome and phagolysosome but also in the digestion of E. coli.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.49 no.6
• /
• pp.740-751
• /
• 2000

Background : Moxifloxacin is a newly developed drug which is more potent and safe compared to previous fluoroquinolones. This drug effectively eradicates organisms such as beta-lactamase-producing or other resistant bacteria. Moxifloxacin is known to be effective in treating respiratory infections such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis, Chlamydia pneumoniaeme, Legionella spp. and Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Methods : In a multicenter, randomized, open, comparative study, the efficacy and safety of oral moxifloxacin taken 400 mg once a day and clarithromycin taken 500 mg twice daily for 7 days were compared for the treatment of Korean patients with acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis. Results : A total of 170 patients were enrolled, and they were divided into two groups: 87 in the moxifloxacin group and 83 in the clarithromycin group. Of those enrolled, 76 (35 for bacteriologic efficacy) in the moxifloxacin group and 77 (31 for bacteriologic efficacy) in the clarithromycin group were included in the efficacy analysis. All were included in the safety analysis. Clinical success was noted in 70 (92.1%) of 76 moxifloxacin-treated patients and 71 (92.2%) of 77 clarithromycin-treated patients. Bacteriologic success rate seemed to be higher in moxifloxacin group (73.5%) than in clarithromycin group (54.8%), but statistically insignificant (p=0.098). Drug susceptibility among organisms initially isolated was higher in moxifloxacin group on Streptococcus pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae (p<0.001). Adverse events were reported by 12.8% of 86 patients receiving moxifloxacin and 21.7% of 83 patients receiving clarithromycin. Headache (4.7% vs 4.8%, moxifloxacin group vs clarithromycin group, respectively) and indigestion (2.3% vs 6.0%, moxifloxacin group vs clarithromycin group, respectively) were the most frequent side effects in the two groups. Conclusion : This study demonstrated that for the treatment of acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis a 7-day course of moxifloxacin 400 mg od was clinically equivalent and microbiologically superior to clarithromycin 500 mg bid.